Dogs are joy made alive. I’ve always loved dogs. Their infectious excitement and loyalty have made them constant and welcomed companions in my life. When I was a kid, my mom would read “Go, Dog, Go” to me and always looked forward to how excited I got when it got to the dog party section. (To be honest, even as an adult, I still get excited by the concept of a dog party.) So when I got a place to call my own, the obvious next step was to also claim a dog to call my own, especially since one of my moving criteria was to have a backyard big enough for a puppy.

Two months after I moved out, I found Mollie through a local rescue organization. Mollie was advertised as a “medium” energy eighteen month Australian Shepherd mix who just had a litter of her own puppies and was good with kids and other dogs, which were important qualities since my family already owned two dogs and I babysat human children often. Sold by her cuteness and shy demeanor at the adoption event, I adopted her without a second thought and brought her home to start our new lives together. I actually spent more time in Target before the adoption event debating between streaming sticks for my new TV than I did deciding to adopt Mollie.

However, here’s a confession I don’t make lightly: I nearly surrendered her back to the organization within her first two weeks with me.

Her “medium” energy level had her bouncing off the walls in my townhome 24/7, often waking me up with a paw to the face to play at 2am (and having me fear what a “high” energy dog looks like to this organization). The shy demeanor was a front for feeling uncomfortable in the tiny kennel with strange humans peering down at her - once she got into a space of her own, she was excitable and goofy and often tried to bite my face to play while I tried to watch movies because it was the only way she knew how to play. I was convinced that I wasn’t cut out for dog motherhood and found myself googling “ethics of returning a rescue dog” at 3am while she danced in ceaseless circles at the foot of my bed and nibbled on precious stuffed animals.

But I always wanted a dog of my own and when Mollie looked at me with her big brown eyes, trusting me to be her new mommy after a life of being forgotten, I couldn’t fathom breaking her heart with my selfish desire. Plus, when I was wildly googling my options for surrender, I found that many dog owners went through the same doubt I was experiencing with dogs they ended up loving forever. Adopting a dog is a major life transition that shouldn’t be treated lightly. It shouldn’t be a half-considered whim based on the fantasy of dog ownership. Once you adopt a dog, you’re adopting a lifelong best friend and soul that only wants to love you and that’s a massive, yet greatly satisfying, responsibility.

“When Love Wags a Tail” by Carmen Leal is a collection of essays about people’s true stories about adopting their own rescue dogs. If you love dogs, you'll love this book, especially if you're in the market for obtaining a dog and exploring your options for a rescue vs. a pure breed. This collection of essays delightfully outlines all of the joys (and heartbreaks) of adopting a rescue dog. There's a variety of different situations and scenarios presented in these essays that present relatable connections for potential dog owners while also providing an opportunity for those who already own dogs (like myself) to appreciate and love on their rescued best friends even more.

Four years later, Mollie is now my bestest friend in the whole wide world. We survived a global pandemic together, learned that long walks are the best way for her to get her excitable energy out, share pasta together, and enjoy so many Mollie and Maddie movie nights on our couch (yes we have our own spots). I couldn’t imagine my life without Mollie and the love she provides as my perpetual shadow trailing my every move around the house while I work remote or playing in our backyard as I read a book on the hammock. She’s truly the light of my life and I’m so proud of the growth we’ve made together since those initial hard first days where I was stuck questioning my life choices at two in the morning because I was the bad dog mommy who didn’t do my research before adopting my precious angel.

If I had read a book like “When Love Wags a Tail” before adopting Mollie, I would’ve likely had a better transition into the lifestyle as, through the collection of essays, I recognized others had their own learning curves with their adopted best friends. I also would’ve been more assured in my decision to adopt Mollie as the essays explore the joys of rescue dog ownership and all of the ways the new loyal companionship can improve a life.

As a fair warning, as is the case with stories about rescue dog ownership in general, some essays are heavier than others with more of a focus on the heartbreak of dog ownership rather than the pure joy of it so be prepared to feel things. But I still recommend this book if you’re exploring the possibility of adopting a rescue dog or just need a cozy doggy book to cuddle up with your puppy for a reading night. It’s delightful, easy to read, and a good excuse to love on a dog, even just through an essay.

I know I definitely loved on my Mollie Moo while reading this book and I hope it helps you appreciate your loyal companions too!

“When Love Wags a Tail” is available at Barnes & Noble and through Bookshop.org. Add it on Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212072980-when-love-wags-a-tail

You may also read more about the author at the following website: https://wagawaypublishing.com/

Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was provided in exchange for this review. You may read more about this blog tour at the following link: https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2024/05/when-love-wags-tail-by-carmen-leal-blog.html